Phlogiston, flō-jis′ton, n. an imaginary element, believed in till nearly the end of the 18th century as forming part of every combustible body, which by its disengagement caused burning, or fire in action.—adj. Phlogis′tic (chem.), containing or resembling phlogiston: inflaming: (med.) inflammatory.—v.t. Phlogis′ticate, to combine phlogiston with. [Gr.]
Phlox, floks, n. a well-known garden plant, so called from its colour. [Gr.,—phlegein, to burn.]
Phlyctæna, Phlyctena, flik-tē′na, n. a small vesicle.—adjs. Phlyctē′nar; Phlyctē′noid; Phlyctē′nous.
Phobanthropy, fō-ban′thrō-pi, n. a morbid dread of mankind.
Phocine, fō′sin, adj. pertaining to the seal family.—n. Phō′ca, a seal.—adj. Phocā′cean, relating to the genus Phoca.—n. a seal of this genus.—n. Phocæ′na, a genus of delphinoid odontocete cetaceans—the true porpoises.—adjs. Phō′cal; Phocæ′nine, like a porpoise. [L. phoca—Gr. phōkē, a seal.]
Phœbus, fē′bus, n. the sun-god: the sun:—fem. Phœbe (fē′bē), the moon. [L.,—Gr. phoibos, bright, phæin, to shine.]
Phœnician, Phenician, fē-nish′an, adj. pertaining to Phœnicia, on the coast of Syria, to its people, language, or arts.—n. an inhabitant of Phœnicia: the language, a Semitic dialect, akin to Hebrew.
Phœnix, Phenix, fē′niks, n. a fabulous bird said to have existed for 500 years all alone in the wilderness, and, after burning itself on a funeral pile, to have risen from its own ashes—hence, the emblem of immortality: a paragon. [L.,—Gr. phoinix.]
Pholas, fō′las, n. a genus of stone-bearing bivalves, a piddock:—pl. Phō′lades.—n. Phō′ladite, a fossil pholad. [Gr.]
Phonate, fō′nāt, v.t. to utter vocal sounds.—n. Phonā′tion, emission of vocal sounds.—adj. Phō′natory, pertaining to phonation.—n. Phonau′tograph, an instrument for registering the vibrations of a sounding body.—adj. Phonautograph′ic.—adv. Phonautograph′ically.—n. Phonom′eter, an instrument for measuring the vibrations of a body.